1. Technical Field
The invention relates to a composite of sheet metal parts formed by welding or soldering. It further relates to a joining method for sheet metal parts in which the sheet metal parts are connected to each other by welding or soldering and to a joining tool suitable for performing the joining method. The composite is part of a vehicle and forms part of an outer shell of the vehicle, preferably an automobile. It can be, for example, a fixedly assembled, i.e. integral, part of the vehicle body or, in particular, an attachment assembled or to be assembled to the vehicle body.
2. Description of Related Art
In order to weld or solder sheet metal parts to each other, the sheet metal parts are shaped with flanges and flange edges along which each of the flanges projects at an angle from an adjacent region of the sheet metal part. The sheet metal parts are fixed relative to each other in a joining position and connected to each other along the flange edges by welding or soldering. The sheet metal parts are conventionally shaped in a press by deep-drawing or the like. Problems are caused by bent flanges and generally by flanges which form an undercut for a plunger of the press. The definition of the flange edges in the longitudinal direction and in the local cross-sections of the edge influences the quality of the welding or soldering connection. Particularly in the manufacture of automobiles, welding and soldering connections are critical when the sheet metal parts connected in this way are visible from the outside. Irregularities in the welding or soldering seams require costly reworking or result in rejects.